FAIRVIEW, Ala. – Fairview High School’s Cali Golden will be a junior in August, and in this interview, she discussed her faith, and how much God has helped make her the person that she is today. She started by sharing a Bible verse that has changed her life.
“He’s been my rock and refuge through all the loss and heartbreak I’ve been through the last few years. Through and through, He has made me a new and better person. To see who I was before Christ and to see who I am now just proves over and over again how He never gives up on us, and pursues us, even when we don’t pursue Him. He was my only source of strength during awful circumstances, and I’m forever thankful for the gift of salvation.” Golden said. “In Matthew 16:24-26, the Lord calls us to ‘Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me’. Over the last few months, this scripture has been something I’ve come to understand more and more. For me, this passage of scripture means we are called to give up self-control. We have to surrender ourselves daily and fully commit our lives to the Lord. To pick up your cross means to understand there will be hard battles fought as Christians, but you have to be willing to give your life for Christ. Lastly, he says, ‘Follow me’. It’s a simple call, but it’s sometimes hard to fulfill. It won’t always be easy, but it’s so worth it. We should live for the day when we stand before the Lord and hear, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant’.”
Playing a part in helping people of all ages find God and being a role model for younger kids, especially her little sister, are two of Cali’s top priorities.
“It’s my top priority to share the gospel with people of all ages. No matter what walk of life you’re on or what age, the gospel is something that doesn’t need to stay inside of us. It’s the greatest gift anyone could ever receive,” Golden said. “It’s very important to me to be a role model for the younger kids. Kids need positive influences in their lives. A lot of kids go through hard things, and you could be that small amount of light they see every week. You never know how much they look up to you. My little sister is five, and she watches every move I make. It’s such a blessing to be able to pour into her every day.”
Cali was a part of World Changers earlier this year, and being a part of that event was something that she will never forget.
“Being able to go to World Changers this year was an experience I will never forget. The Lord really showed up and showed out. Being a part of many hours of work and praying with strangers, serving the homeowner of the house we had the opportunity to transform, meeting people from all over the country, and being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ was a blessing beyond measure. We all have one mission here on this Earth and that’s to make disciples of all nations. Everywhere you go is your mission field. Never miss an opportunity to be a witness to somebody. My favorite memories of World Changers were all the friendships I made with people from all over the country last week, and just serving other people how the Lord served us.”
She talked about a Godly role model in her own life that she looks up to, and she gave some advice to those people who are struggling to have a relationship with God.
“My Godly role mode is my Maw Maw. She’s stepped up when she shouldn’t have had to and raised me into the Godly young woman that I am today. She’s a perfect example of a virtuous woman. I thank the Lord for her every day,” she said. “If you’re nervous or new when it comes to having a relationship with God, treat it like it’s just a conversation. Just talk to Him. It doesn’t have to be perfect. He just wants to hear what’s on your heart. The only way a relationship can grow is through conversation. Staying consistent in His word will change your perspective on how you view certain things you may be struggling with. The best advice I could give to a new Christian is to never look back. Once you give your life to the Lord, you’re committed. He brought you from life to death. Embrace it.”
Cali talked about a tough time that she went through that helped her get closer to God, and she does a couple of Godly rituals in the morning before she gets her day started.
“A life-changing event for me that happened that helped me get closer to the Lord was when my father committed suicide. I’ve never experienced such a big void I felt I could never be filled. I sat on that for a long time before I realized there was purpose in the pain. The Lord used that situation to lead me to help others who have been through the same thing. I believe with my whole heart something good comes out of every situation. Let the Lord turn the ashes into beauty,” she said. “The first thing I do in the morning before anything is pray. When you start your day with a conversation with the One who created you, it sets the base for your day. Next is a simple verse of the day. With that small verse, you can take it in and guard your heart with it for the day.”
Cali has learned a lot during her walk with God.
“The biggest thing I have learned in my walk with the Lord is to never go to worldly things first. We’re human, so our first though is to go to the least Godly things. Guard your heart with scripture so that’s the first thing that comes to mind when faced with trials.”
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